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Follow-up to
June 17 story in The Catholic Moment
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
The June 17 issue of The Catholic Moment featured a front-page
story announcing that interviews, an online survey and focus group
meetings would be conducted throughout the summer to weigh possible
support for a diocesan-wide capital campaign to be conducted in 2008. If
judged feasible, this campaign would coincide with my 25th anniversary
as diocesan bishop and my anticipated retirement. In August 2008, I will
celebrate my 75th birthday and must submit a mandatory letter of
resignation to the Holy Father. The pope in turn selects a successor and
determines when I will step down as diocesan bishop. The proposed
campaign, as envisioned in June, would have expanded upon the 13th
biennial Fruitful Harvest campaign, which is set to start in August of
2008.
The Catholic Moment story reported me saying that it is my
responsibility to hand my successor a healthy Local Church. The vision
was to meet operating expenses for 2009-2010, to endow our Vocations
Office, and to provide funds to parishes for debt reduction, maintenance
needs, capital needs and/or endowments. The story noted that
historically I have shunned anniversary celebrations as bishop — none
marked my 10th, 15th or 20th year. Rather than the usual hoopla that
goes with a jubilee and retirement, my hope was to focus on the major
need of the diocese at this time (the formation of seminarians), while
helping parishes meet their more pressing needs.
Consultants suggested a minimum goal of $30 million. If the goal was
met, 60 percent of the funds collected would be returned to parishes,
while the diocese would retain 40 percent. Of the diocesan share, $7
million would cover the routine operations of diocesan offices (Fruitful
Harvest) through 2010. The balance would endow the education of
seminarians, a minimum of $5 million.
RSI Catholic Services Group was chosen to conduct the proposed
feasibility study. It was involved in local diocesan planning efforts in
the late 1980s and early 1990s, has helped several of our parishes raise
needed funds and, under the leadership of Archbishop Daniel Buechlein,
has been very active in two diocesan-wide capital campaigns in the
Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the most recent of which raised more than
$100 million. Based on the experience of dioceses of similar size, RSI
was confident a minimum goal of $30 million was attainable.
More than 120 clergy and lay leaders from all six of our deaneries were
personally interviewed by RSI Catholic Services Group personnel to test
whether the proposed capital campaign would be feasible. Hundreds more
participated through focus group discussions and an online survey. I am
most grateful for the candid, constructive insights and suggestions
offered by the participants in this process.
As a sidebar, in addition to input on whether there should be a capital
campaign in 2008, folks expressed themselves relative to their
expectations of me as diocesan bishop. In doing so, the survey confirmed
what every bishop knows, that is, it is impossible to meet everyone’s
expectations. Some of us are better at that than others. Most of the
critique focused on a desire for greater transparency and
accountability. Because those in leadership roles normally believe they
are appropriately consultative, transparent and accountable, the
response to such criticism tends to be defensive. In discussing the
results of the RSI survey with the priests who serve on my Presbyteral
Council, my plea was “be specific.” One of the priests, acknowledging
that expectations need to be taken seriously but are often beyond
realization, advised me to simply announce that I am old and can no
longer do what I once did or would like to do. How is that for being
blunt!
Acknowledging that I no longer have the energy to do what I once did,
especially in terms of parish visibility (in years past I spent weekends
in parishes participating in each scheduled Mass), with the help of my
staff, I am determined to do what I can, the best I can do it, and am
grateful to those who were candid in expressing their expectations.
So, what is the bottom line? After reviewing the results of the RSI
study, and consulting my Presbyteral Council and the diocesan deans, it
is clear that a capital campaign as envisioned last June is not well
advised at this time. As a result, energy will be concentrated on a
successful Fruitful Harvest campaign in 2008. As RSI reported,
“Interviewees generally do not believe that a diocesan-wide campaign
that requires the participation of all parishes is the best vehicle to
raise funds for seminary education or for individual parish needs. Most
believe that it would be better to utilize the structure already in
place for Fruitful Harvest and perhaps a separate campaign (similar to
Caring for the Future), while leaving the parishes to raise funds
on their own.” For those new to Northcentral Indiana, Caring for the
Future was a 2002 effort directed to the retirement needs of
diocesan priests.
My office will do its best to respond to the findings and
recommendations of the RSI study by striving for greater transparency,
accountability and improved communication. The Pastoral Office for
Stewardship and Development will do its best to assist parishes in their
efforts to promote stewardship, something a high percentage of
interviewees felt needs serious attention.
Anxiety about ever-increasing Fruitful Harvest goals convinces me that a
capital campaign is inevitable. Nonetheless, those who participated in
the survey have spoken. This is not the time for a diocesan-wide capital
campaign. Part of that, no doubt, is rooted in the fact that currently
parishes have projects in various stages of design, bidding and
construction totaling an estimated $37,149,776. In addition, our two
high schools face significant capital needs. And, to date, 18 parishes
plan on a dovetail campaign in connection with Fruitful Harvest 2008. A
dovetail is a parish capital fund drive conducted in conjunction with
Fruitful Harvest.
All this leaves us with the necessity of a successful Fruitful Harvest
campaign in 2008.
For those unfamiliar with the territory, Fruitful Harvest is a biennial
solicitation the proceeds from which fund diocesan offices and the
responsibilities which are ours as a Local Church.
Initiated in 1984, it replaced a previous “tax” on parish income. In
many dioceses, there is an annual diocesan-wide campaign similar
to Fruitful Harvest, plus a “tax” on parish income. A tax takes money
already collected out of parish operating funds, while Fruitful Harvest
does not drain off those funds. Rather it raises “new money.” Moreover,
through rebates and overage sharing, Fruitful Harvest has returned more
than $6 million to parishes (money that parishes otherwise would never
have realized), exclusive of some $900,000 that has gone into school
trusts.
The challenge will be to convince one and all that the monies sought
during the 2008 Fruitful Harvest solicitation are crucial if we are to
remain a healthy Local Church. |
